Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

A long buy-in and cash-out of static plank holds bracket a chipper with 71 burpees, Air Squats, and moderate kettlebell swings. Movement complexity averages basic-to-advanced, time domain sits around 18–22 minutes for intermediates, and density is moderate. No descending or partner modifiers apply. The burpee volume plus cumulative core fatigue make it challenging without entering extreme territory.

Benchmark Times for Ella French

• Elite: <14:00
• Advanced: 15:00-16:00
• Intermediate: 17:00-19:00
• Beginner: >40:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): Muscular endurance is taxed by cumulative core bracing in the planks and high burpee volume, plus steady squat cycling. Fatigue resistance, not max strength, is the limiter.
• Endurance (6/10): Sustained effort from long planks and a big burpee set drives cardio demand without any pure monostructural work. Expect steady breathing and heart-rate control across 15–25 minutes.
• Speed (4/10): There’s room to cycle burpees and swings efficiently, but the long planks and total volume favor controlled pacing over all-out speed.
• Power (3/10): Hip snap on kettlebell swings and small jumps in burpees add some explosiveness, but the workout is largely steady output, not high-power sprints.
• Strength (2/10): External loading is light and limited to 53/36 lb kettlebell swings. Strength is not the bottleneck compared to stamina and aerobic capacity.
• Flexibility (2/10): Standard ROM: upright plank, hip crease below parallel in squats, full extension on burpees. No advanced mobility requirements beyond sound positions.

Scaling Options

Scale to: 3:00 + 2:00 plank holds, 50 burpees, 12/9/45/6/15 reps • 35/26 lb (or 26/18 lb) KB • Up-Downs instead of Burpees

Scaling Explanation

These options preserve the workout’s core-taxing intent and steady pacing while reducing time under tension and total volume so athletes can keep moving with quality positions.

Intended Stimulus

A steady, resilient grind. The planks should tax your midline early and late without completely spiking your heart rate. Then maintain a sustainable, unbroken burpee rhythm and crisp squat standards. Kettlebell sets are short and done unbroken. Aim for minimal plank breaks, even if it means conservative burpee pacing.

Coach Insight

Accumulate the buy-in plank with as few breaks as possible; shake out and go right to the bell. Burpees: breathe every rep and avoid redlining early. Most important: keep plank breaks short and intentional—those seconds add up fast. Common mistakes: sprinting the first 30 burpees, sloppy plank positions, and letting squat depth creep high under fatigue.

Benchmark Notes

These finish-time tiers span from 40 minutes for new athletes to 14 minutes for elite. Intermediates should target about 19 minutes. The long planks heavily influence pacing, while the large burpee set defines the workout’s middle. Hit quality standards and minimize plank breaks to move up a tier.

Modality Profile

Most time is spent on bodyweight elements: two long planks plus a large block of burpees and air squats. The only external load is the kettlebell swing, which comprises a smaller fraction of total time. There is no running, rowing, or other monostructural element.

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